Severe drought and political turmoil contributed
to Guyana's negative growth of -1.8% for 1998 following six straight
years of growth of 5% or better. Growth came back to a positive 1.8%
in 1999. Underlying growth factors have included expansion in the key
agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for
business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a moderate
inflation rate, and continued support by international organizations.
President JAGDEO, the former finance minister, is taking steps to
reform the economy, including drafting an investment code and
restructuring the inefficient and unresponsive public sector. Problems
include a shortage of skilled labor and an inadequate and poorly
maintained transportation system. Also, electricity has been in short
supply; the privatization of the sector in August 1999 is expected to
improve prospects. The government must persist in efforts to manage
its sizable external debt and extend its privatization program.

purchasing power parity - $1.86 billion (1999 est.)

1.8% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 34.7%
industry: 32.5%
services: 32.8% (1998 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

5.5% (1999 est.)

245,492 (1992)

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services
NA%

12% (1992 est.)

revenues: $220.1 million
expenditures: $286.4 million, including capital expenditures of $86.6
million (1998)

bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp),
textiles, gold mining

7.1% (1997 est.)

325 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 98.46%
hydro: 1.54%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

302 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef,
pork, poultry, dairy products; forest and fishery potential not
exploited

$574 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp,
molasses, rum, timber

US 25%, Canada 24%, UK 19%, Netherlands Antilles
11%, Jamaica 5% (1998)

$620 million (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

US 28%, Trinidad and Tobago 21%, Netherlands
Antilles 14%, UK 7%, Japan 5% (1998)

$1.4 billion (1998)

$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor
Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997)

1 Guyanese dollar (G$) = 100 cents

Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 180.4 (December
1999), 178.0 (1999), 150.5 (1998), 142.4 (1997), 140.4 (1996), 142.0
(1995)

calendar year